I am not sure what there Charism is...there difference between the Carmolites, Fransiscans, and the Dominicans.

So, who are they? are the Benedictine nuns different grom the Monks? Thanks!

Kristina

Hi Kristina,

Here's what I was told by a friend of mine who's a Fransiscan sister about the Benedictines, so take it as you wish:

"Founded very early in the history of the Church by Benedict, the father of western monasticism, their spirituality centers on the liturgy. Their charism is worship and to teach others to worship God and to bring others to Him through worship. Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours are the center of Benedictine life. They are also famous for their hospitality. While their are Benedictine schools most (that I know of) run retreat centers of some sort."

There are some Benedictines near home (who I think started Benedictine College that you asked about earlier!). Here's their sisters' website which might be helpful:
Benedictine Sisters of Atchinson Kansas

Another trait of Benedictines is they try to make their foundations stable and permanent. Most of the congregations have a vow of stability to whatever monastery one takes their vows at. This is why towns frequently grow up around wherever Abbeys are built. Benedictines build for the long haul.

Wow...I did not know that! It makes sense though and, ironically, we're learning about that in my law school class (about how they could work and live off the land while maintaining a vow of poverty).

Wow, thank you, you two!

Kristina

If you go to any number of Benedictine websites you'll see they call the opus Dei meaning the praying of the Divine Office, their first calling.

In his Rule, St. Benedict established a kind of rhythmic balance of prayer and work, "ora et labora"; Monasteries were to be self sufficient through manual labor and monks were encouraged to study. The practice of lectio divina is usually credited to the Benedictines.

The Benedictine vows are stability, obedience and conversion of life (which include poverty and chastity) .

Benedictine nuns/sisters follow the same rule as the monks.

My respects to the Franciscans and Dominicans, but there is something about the Rule of St. Benedict that resonates with me. I think it's because it can be adapted for us layfolks too.

Of course there are quite a few different flavors of Benedictines, The Camaldolese are eremetic and have detached little houses for their cells, The Solesmes are very much concerned with the rites themselves and do a lot of study of chant and church history. The Olivetans tend to be very concerned with ecumenicism and work for unity and peace.

So, they work with the people? Do they teach? Or do they just keep to themselves?

Active Benedictine sisters seem to be in a variety of work including education and health care. Their first and foremost mission is prayer and community life, and the apostolates depend on the needs of the local Church. Many do retreat work and the education of Benedictine Oblates ( the layfolk who formally associate themselves to the Benedictine way of life). While many of them have given up the habit, the Olivetan Benedictines, the Benedictines of New Jersey, the Benedictines of Canyon, TX and a few others wear some form of habit and veil.

I can't speak of all the enclosed Benedictine nuns, but quite a few have attached year round retreat facilities to their monasteries, so they have a certain amount of contact with the public. They may also do altar bread production and distribution, writing and publishing spiritual literature, Oblate training, and farming. Habits are the norm for the most part.

The Missionary Benedictines in Nebraska are an international order with a small representation in the USA. They are very active in Asia and Africa.
They wear a modified habit.

The Cistercian nuns can also be included here. They do most of the occupations of the enclosed Benedictines, but may also have a monastery based industry to support themselves--like making cheeses or candy (Trappistine Creamy Caramels--YUM!)--whatever is compatible with the monastic schedule. They wear a cream colored habit, black scapular and leather belt, but will wear regular clothing when doing manual labor. They maintain the most demanding prayer schedule of all the Benedictine related groups.

Hope this helps answer your question.......

The Benedictines place a high value on hospitality, so keeping to themselves is not a part of their charism at all.

I forgot to incluce that on my last post....

wow. thanks stlmom!

Ora et Labora,

I'm so glad you asked the question.... you thinking about discerning with them?

The Benedictines are wonderful teachers, and stewards. The rules of St. Benedict are deeply enrooted in their daily lives. Stewardship, Hospitality, Love of Learning, Community, and Respect.

I go to the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth Minnesota and these five values are lived out in our daily lives whether we know it or not. Most of them are just common sense. The sisters are always so warm and welcoming and just can't wait to interact with the students, and I love when I get to go see the sisters. Many of them will join us in Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary, and the sisters invite us to join them in Lectio Divina, mass, and different prayers.

God bless-
LGLG

Yes, I am. Im OLAMDads other daughter...he already has a Franciscan daughter.

Does anyone know of really good Benedictine Convents?

Thats so cool. It sounds like they are wonderful people.

Oraetlabora,
Here is a link to a thread I started on the Benedictines. There are a lot of good communities listed in there. I love the Benedictines and though I feel I am called to the Poor Clares I may visit a few communities if the opportunity arises. I really love the Tyburn nuns, they have houses all over the world. I was hoping to visit their houses in London and Scotland this summer but I won't be in the UK as planned. Anyway here is a link to there great site Tyburn Convent and a couple others in the UK
Stanbrook Abbey
St. Cecelia's Abbey
and a great community in formation here in the US
Oblates of Mary, queen of apostles my keyboard won't type a capital q, no disrespect intended.

Also, if you get a chance read In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. The author stayed at the guesthouse of Stanbrook Abbey for 3 years while writing the book. It is wonderful!! Don't even bother with the movie. Hope this helps. You are in my prayers.
God's Peace,
Amanda

Oblates of Mary Queen of the Apostles. The nuns follow a Benedictine rule and are so amazing. I know two mothers who have daughters that entered...one just this year. They are so very happy for their daughters and just glow when speaking of them and their community.

http://www.oblatesofmary.com/

My personal favorites are, http://www.walburga.org/. Two of their sisters are in Vatican City in that new monastery which changes congregations every 5 years and prays for the Pope and the church. They also have a convent in Pennsylvania which is very good also.

Would you like a list of websites in the USA of Benedictines who still wear habits and are faithful? May take me a day or so, I edit OPD's Catholic religious section so I already have most of them listed and pretty much know which are which.

The Pennsylvania monastery is St. Emma's. Both of these monasteries are experiencing steady new growth in the last few years.

There are a few others such as Our Lady of the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico, and a community in Tickfaw, Louisiana,

They have an awesome website, thanks for sharing!

Funny you should ask. While I was discerning with the Dominicans they had sister there on retreat from a Benedictine Community in Vermont.

I asked Sr. Mary Magdalen for some inforamation because sometime people are interested in Benedictine Communities.

Benedictine Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
4103 Vt, route 100
Westfield VT 05874

Tel: 802 744-6525

Vocation email: vocations@ihmwestfield.com

Website though under construction still has some valuable information.

www.ihmwestfield.com

Cheers

DM

There is also a Camaldolese monastery of nuns in New York somewhere, Windsor I believe. The Camaldolese are a very old congregation they tend to be more eremitic than monastic. And have little cottages as their cells much like the Carthusians.

At the end of next month I'm going to visit St. Hildegard's Abbey near Frankfurt in Germany. I'm also hoping to visit some Benedictine houses in my native UK, but as I don't live there anymore the logistics of travel isn't as simple as it used to be.

In addition to the other female houses in the UK given here, there's also St. Mildred's Priory in Kent. Despite some searching I've not been able to find their website (which is somewhat frustrating as I know I've seen it before...), but here are some contact details:

Priory of St. Mildred
Minster Abbey
Ramsgate
Kent
CT12 4HF

There are of course men's houses too in the UK - lots of them!

Love and prayers,

puella

Another great Benedictine story coming your way here:

St. Emma Monastery

One of my favorite sites, partly because it's near my old hometown and obviously because I love the Benedictine way of life.

This article goes to show you that it's never too late to respond to a call to religious life. Not that you should put it off forever......

The latest newsletter from St. Emma Monastery is out if any one would like to read the Prioress reflection for Lent. It also begins a history of the monastery series for their 75th anniversary year.

Puellapaschalis, have you ever thought of coming over to any US monasteries?

stlmom,

there's some backstory behind this. I'll PM you and explain a little.

PP

I have been in contact with some lovely Benedictines. The nuns in Canyon Texas could use some prayers for their vocations, since they are now down to three sisters. They have a lovely monastery and wear a modified habit. They are contemplative but not cloistered.

St Benedict Monastery

The olivetan benedictines in Jonesboro, Ar wear habits check out their website at olivben.org

Hi and welcome! Are you a Benedictine sister?

There are some Benedictine sisters I saw at Clear Creek Monastery in Oklahoma as well They attend the Divine Office and Mass there. I don't know if they live there or were visiting from another community. There were three. I didn't have the opportunity to talk to them while I was there so I don't know much. Is anyone here in contact with them?

Lauren

Yes

The the charism of each individual benedictine abbey varies widely. Some are contemplative, and only the guestmaster/mistress would have any regular contact with the guests. Others run retreat centers, and would thus have greater contact bwtween monks/nuns and visitors. Others run schools, seminaries, and universities. so it really depends on the abbey and the congregation that the abbey belongs to.

I have visited 3 abbeys. St. Peters in Saskatchewan, which runs a junior college, a print shop, a publishing company, a small farm, two dozen pareishes, and a partridge in a pear tree. St mary's monastery near Boston, which is a double community with st scholastica's priory, is strictly contemplative and only the guestmaster usually associates with the guests. the other one is Christ in the desert in new mexico.

i wrote a web page about my expereieces at Christ in the Desert a tthis location:
http://www.dboyko.info/dayinlife.html

One of the three is Terrye Newkirk, formerly a writer for among other magazines Catholic Answers. She started out as a hermit and eventually became a canonical hermit and received instruction from the monks there. she initially wanted to be a carmelite but had some bad experiences that she wrote up in Catholic Answers as "sister hell". she has her own little hermitage on the property. I have been out of contact with her for several years now. I have heard that she had one other person and they were thinking of trying to start a small community. I havent heard anything from that in about 4 years. so I guess they are now three!

I had thought of joining Clear Creek at one time, but they have an upper age limit of 35

Amanda

I loved "In This House of Brede"! And I am discerning At Tyburn in London! I will be going to visit them in late March and staying through Easter. They are wonderful nuns - so heartfelt and welcoming, and they answer every single question I have, no matter how small or silly it seems. It their postualnt list of things to bring, it said "plain white panties" and "white vest with sleeves" but nothing about bras, so I got up the nerve to ask if I was supposed to bring my bra or not - Mother wrote back and said, yes, of course I should bring my bra -- and that she would send me a little pamphlet of "tips" to help me out -- whew!

God's grace+
Annie

I heard that they are called the "Oblates of Mary Queen of Angels". I believe they are originally from the benedictines of Mary out in MO and that the Clear Creek monastery is helping them become established.

Actually there are two separate groups of traddie Benedictines in the process of getting established.

The Mary Queen of Angels Convent, Clear Creek group started with a hermit as someone else mentioned, but she became seriously ill, and wasn't able to take vows. But a small group has formed there all the same as Oblates, being helped and trained by the monks. You can read about them here:
http://www.dioceseoftulsa.org/news/images/eoc082006.pdf

The other group is the Benedictines (formerly Oblates) of Mary Queen of Apostles now in Missouri - they are currently doing a noviciate year (they make first profession in May) sponsored by the Solemnes Congregation Benedictines of Deux Montaignes in Canada. Their website is here:
http://www.oblatesofmary.com/

I didn't know that she had become seriously ill

I wanted to resurrect this thread, having missed this GOOD NEWS last month. Two of the four novices at St. Walburga's in CO made first vows in February.


Also, the spring newsletter is out for their sister monastery, St. Emma Monastery. They will have a come and see weekend July 6-8, if anyone is interested. I grew up in western PA not too far from St. Emma's. It's a beautiful part to travel through, folks.

Oh wonderful!!!!

One of my friends visited them(the MO order) when they were in PA (or something like that). She said they were awesome!
Another friend of mine is visiting them March 25th-31st. Please keep her in your prayers. She is seriously discerning religious life- even flew over to Italy to visit a Trid order (i think sisters of the institute of Christ the King)

little video on GodTube of Benedictine Monks at Mt Angel Abbey Oregon,Usa

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?view...6df31cee1982066

little video on GodTube of Benedictine Monks at Mt Angel Abbey Oregon,Usa

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?view...6df31cee1982066

Simply beautiful... thanks for posting...
That reminds me, for all St. Louisans lurking here--you can celebrate The Passing of St. Benedict with the monks at St. Louis Abbey tomorrow with Gregorian Vespers at 6:10 p.m. or on Wednesday with Mass at 5:45 p.m. followed by English Vespers.

St. Louis Abbey

Found a website for some active Texas Benedictines that I hadn't heard of before--Starr County Benedictines
They have a modified habit and a pro-life ministry, so seem more traditional than many active Benedictines in the USA.

I love the English Benedictine Congregation!! I love going to Mass at the Saint Louis Abbey.

The EBC rocks, yes

PP

"Come let us worship Christ the Lord, We have left all things to follow Him". I will be chanting that throughout the day today I think. Not that thats a bad thing. The Abbot and Prior of the Abbey of Christ in the Desert used to be monks of Mt. Angel. They left in search of a more contemplative expression of the Benedictine charism. They are such different people too. Fr. Abbot is very gregarious; Fr. Prior is very shy. But their love of God shines very brightly in both.

wow, i posted this in feb.

I'm going to be visiting family in western PA soon. Hope to stop by at St. Emma's since we'll be in the vicinity. Will pray for all of you as usual .

Anyone out there interested in Benedictine life should check out the "Come and See" weekend at St. Emma's July 6-8.St. Emma Monastery Click on the vocations link and go to the bottom of the page to get more information.

Also in NW Missouri, the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration will host a monastic life weekend in July for single women. It is usually pretty well attended . There is no charge to attend, and I donate to these sisters and it makes me feel great that they can offer these opportunities to discerning young women. Check the vocations link on the website for more information.

God bless!